Best Airline Credit Cards

Note: Some offer details in this article have expired and/or are being changed by the issuer. Appropriate updates will be applied to the article when the changes have been finalized.

Travel rewards are one of the best perks of having a credit card. Nowadays, most airlines and credit card issuers have a variety of travel cards that cater to frequent flyers. If you’re loyal to a particular airline, they’ll likely have a travel card that can enhance your vacation and even take the drudgery out of airline travel.

Plus, many of these cards come with extra insurance and coverage so you don’t have to pay for it separately. That means you don’t have to buy travel insurance and worry that your trip could become more expensive due to unforseen circumstances.

See what our top picks for airline miles credit cards below.

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

The only American Express card on this list, this card is a home-run for frequent Delta travelers. The Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express, a Credit Cards Explained advertiser, is especially valuable for those based near the Delta’s hubs of Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston and Detroit.

Features:

Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 60,000 bonus miles. You can earn 50,000 bonus miles after making $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first three months of membership. You can also earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles is if you spend $1,000 in the first six months of card membership. You can also earn a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new card within your first 3 months. The offer ends on 4/11/18.

United MileagePlus® Explorer Card

The United MileagePlus® Explorer Card comes with a slew of United benefits - perfect if you live near one of United’s hubs (Newark, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Denver).

Not only will you receive baggage delay insurance and trip cancellation insurance, but you can get free passes to a United lounge, priority boarding, and free checked bags.

Features:

40,000 bonus miles after you spent $2,000 in three months

Priority boarding when you book a flight using your MileagePlus number

Two free passes to a United Club℠ lounge membership anniversary

Earn 5,000 extra miles after you add an authorized user and make one purchase before your first three months of card ownership

Earn two miles for each United purchase and one mile for every other purchase

Receive one free checked bag for you and a companion when you use your card

No foreign transaction fees

Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance

Trip delay reimbusrement

Lost luggage reimbursement

Baggage delay insurance

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Southwest is one of the country’s favorite airlines - and for good reason. In an era where airlines nickle-and-dime passengers for every additional service, each Southwest passenger gets two free checked bags.

Their rewards cards are no exception. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card comes with one of the highest bonus points rewards with one of the lowest requirements. You can also redeem points for hotels and rental cars.

Features:

50,000 points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months of account opening.

$99 annual fee

No extra change fees

Earn 2 points for each dollar spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point for every other purchase

Receive an extra 6,000 points on your anniversary date

No foreign transaction fees

Baggage delay insurance if your bags are lost or delayed

Auto rental collision damage waiver

Lost luggage reimbursement

Travel accident insurance

British Airways Visa Signature® Card

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card is a popular option for travelers both domestic and international. That’s because British Airways is partnered with American Airlines in the United States as well as international airlines such as Iberia, Finnair, Qantas, and Japan Airlines.

You can redeem British Airways points, or Avios as they’re called, for flights for as little as 7,500 points. Business class flights can cost more than 75,000 points so make sure to book in advance so you have enough points.

Features:

Earn up to 75,000 bonus Avios. Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening, and earn an additional 25,000 Avios after spending $10,000 in the first year of account opening.

Earn 1x point for every dollar spent (3x points if you purchase from British Airways)

No foreign transaction fees

Earn a Travel Together ticket after spending $30,000 in one year (you’ll earn a free ticket valid for two years for a companion when you book a flight using your British Airways points)

$95 annual fee

The Bottom Line

The best airline credit card on this list is the one with rewards that you can actually use. If Southwest Airlines doesn’t fly out of your airport, then the card may not help you. Look at what airlines you use most often and use that to determine what card you apply for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zina Kumok is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance. She writes a blog about paying off her student loans in three years at Debt Free After Three. A trained journalist, she's covered everything from murder trials to the Final Four. Learn more about Zina Kumok

EDITORIAL NOTE

Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

Credit Cards Explained may earn affiliate commissions from our partners on this page. These commissions do not affect how we select, rate, or review products. To find out more, read our complete terms of use.

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Cards In This Article

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®

United MileagePlus® Explorer Card

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower consumers to find and use the right credit card. Our industry-recognized credit card experts explain the best ways to use credit cards, earn rewards, and avoid debt and interest fees.

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EDITORIAL NOTE

Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

Credit Cards Explained may earn affiliate commissions from our partners on this page. These commissions do not affect how we select, rate, or review products. To find out more, read our complete terms of use.